Jo Cox's Accused Killer Linked to US Neo-Nazi Group

(Newser)
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The man accused of Thursday's shocking murder of a British lawmaker in broad daylight appears to have connections to a white supremacy group in the US. The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that Thomas Mair, 52, in 1999 spent $620 on how-to manuals about guns and explosives from a neo-Nazi group called the National Alliance, including one about building a homemade pistol. Along those lines, the Telegraph reports that Mair was a subscriber to a pro-apartheid magazine in South Africa, with a 2006 blog attributed to the magazine's publisher describing him as "one of the earliest subscribers and supporters of S. A. Patriot.” Police have yet to speculate about a motive for the slaying of 41-year-old Jo Cox, who was a strong advocate for more inclusive immigration policies in Britain, especially for Syrian refugees.

Witnesses have said that Cox's killer yelled "Britain first!," which also happens to be the name of a far-right British group known for its anti-Muslim demonstrations, notes the Washington Post. The group has disavowed the slaying. Cox's murder also comes just a week ahead of the UK referendum on whether to leave the European Union, a vote in which the issues of immigration and national identity have been huge factors, reports the New York Times. Campaigning on the so-called Brexit vote was temporarily halted by both sides in the wake of her death. Mair's brother, meanwhile, says he's stunned. "My brother is not violent and is not all that political," he says. "I don’t even know who he votes for. He has a history of mental illness, but he has had help.” (Read more Jo Cox stories.)

Our little right wing friends running around murdering women like cowards. Seems the world is getting our problem ... they all need to disarmed and watched.

Embrace Perversity

Jun 17, 2016 12:58 PM CDT

Southern Poverty Law Center listed Dr. Ben Carson, presidential candidate, and had to retract it later because it was patently bogus. They list opponents as 'hate groups' simply for having different opinions. Southern Poverty Law Center is a Democrat group which can't be trusted.

carlos nells

Jun 17, 2016 12:22 PM CDT

so a white Christian affiliated group can be condemned but not an Islamic group of fanatics...why is that?